Boiler cleaner



Nov. 14, 1933.- N, La SNOWET 1,934,828

' BOILER CLEANER 1 Original Filed Aug." 28, 1924- 4 sheets-sheet 1 INVENTORJ /0 Meme/7 j/wn wfim ATTORNEYS I Nov. 14, 1933. N. L. SNOW 121' AL 1,934,828

' BOILER CLEANER Original Filed Aug. 28. 1924 '4 Sheets-Shet 2 I vI .m M %v N. M a 8 k M \b} P. I v a ww NM JMVWMI...

wmma L N..L. SNOW ETAL BOILER CLEANER Original Filed Au 28. 1924 '4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Nevin, 1933.

INVENTORS M ATTORNEY5 Patented Nov. o, ion a r I STATES PAT N so e Norman L. Snow, New Canaan, Conn, and Frank Bowers and Curtis L. Howse, Detroit, Mich as signers to Diamond lPower'Speeialty Cornet-a tion, Detroit, Mich, a corporation of Michigan Aphl oationhugust 28, 192%, Serial No. 734,746 Renewed November 29,1932

19 Claims. (Cl. 12%391) The inventionrelates to boiler cleaners and has tionally carried by rod 29. Therear end of the for its object to provide apparatus for cleaning shaft 34 has keyed thereto the pawl wheel 36 the tubes and other parts of boilers. 2 -8 3! the pa 6 pivo ally mounted on the In the drawings:- face of the gear 24. The shaft 34 frictionally Figure 1 is a top plan view partly in Section carries the segment 37 upon which is mounted showing the blowers applied to a locomotive the pa 38 a s ag t Wheel 5- h boiler; housing 25 is provided with the slot 39 and in Figure 2 i id 1evati nthereof; the slot the heads of the set screws to and 40 are Figure 3 isa sectional view showing a blower pt d t Operate T t scr ws may b 10 in inoperative retracted position;' cated in any of the openings 41 in the segment Figure 3(115 a detan section] view along 3 3: 3'7 so as to limit the movement of-the latter and QfFigure 3; vary the increment of advance of the blower Figure 4 is a view along the line 4-4 of Fignozzle a will be l pp entur 3; The spring 42 bears at itsforward end against l5 Figure 5 is a, view corresponding to Figure 3 the stationary wall 28 and at its rear end acts 7 showing the blower in projected operative posiupon spacing sleeve 43 and thrust ea 44 5 tion; v normally retract the partsto the position shown Figure 6 is a section of a blower operated by a in Figure Between e pa t 26 and sleeve 27 prjme mover; air passages 2'7 are provided to afiord air circu- I .Figure 7 is. an end elevation ofthe blower lation to cool the blower. 7 i

shown in Figure B; The blower head 30 shown in Figures 3, 5 and Figure 3 is a View along t line 3.43 f F1g 6 is provided at the forward end with a protect-. ure ing heat-resisting cap 45 which is removably fas- Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings 10 inditoned to the blower h a by pins 4 i an cates alocomotive boiler having the cab 11, boiler ay be formed oi any one or combination .Of w tubes 12 and boiler tube sheet 13. For cleaning a um f different at sist n at r als. these tubes there are located at the sides of the xamples of which are chromium iron all y and boiler preferably extending through the water nickelfihromium o a loy. Wh n he blower legs 14, 'a pair of blowers 15. These blowers are is 1101'? in use this D P a y Seals th end located a suitable distance from the tube sheet at leg Sleeve 2 The blower head is also 13 with theirnozzles 16 directed toward the tube provided w h Steam p rts 46 between radial arms sheet. Each blower has a connection with a 46 as best shown in F gu and relief ports steam supplyby a pipe 17, the steam supply being 47 in arms the t e sorts ic tin controlled by valves 18 conveniently located prefit a passag p s 9 md chamber 56. 35 e bly in the cab. The operating rods 19 are Plunger 51 is carried by the blower head 30. Pas- W formed with suitable handle portions 20 and are Sages r fi ted with pet cocks .712 for drainoperably connected with the blowers as hereining the blower body of condensate. I after t fo -{71 With.- the parts in position shown in Figure 3, Referring to Figure 3, rock arm 21 is adapted t p io s a ll w am is dm ed to be reciprocated with the pivot shaft 22 by the through th pip 17 to the chamber -52, around 95 operating rod 19 and handle 20. While the arm p u r 5 t0 ch m 53 thr u p rts 46 to is shown as manually operable it, is obvious that, the nozzle 31. The nozzle and ports restrict the the same may be automatically operated, The flow of the steam so that the steam pressure will forward end of shaft 22 carries the pinion 23 f rc the, blow r head outwardly carryin h keyed to the shaft and meshing with the broad pa ts t the posi ion i dic t d in Fi ure 5. In 150 face gear 24 carried within the housing 25. Th this position the spacing sleeve contacts with the housing 25 is r id d with io g d part, 2 wall 28 to limit the outward movement of the which is fixed within the sleeve 2'? in the water p rts- The outward movementof the blower leg 14; The housing also has a wall 28 providhead 30 carries with itrod 29 and shaft 34 with ing a bearing for the hollow rod 29 the rearend he whe l 35, pawls 36 and 38, s ment 8'! and of which carries the gear 24. The forward end g of rod 29 carries the blower head 30 on which is "Steam escaping past the rod 29 and into chammounted the nozzle 31 formed with bevel gear ber 50 will pass through ports 49, passage 48 and 32. Bevel gear 33 meshes with the gear32 and outlet ports 47. l is carriedby shaft 3'4. housed. and fric- Withthe parts of the blower in the projected 1A0 clockwise as shown in Figure 4, pawl 36 will rotate wheel 35. During this lQllB lJiQIl'ChQfiBEl'llGfii 37 which is frictionally'carriedoiithe-shaft 34 also swings counter clockwise until set screw 40 contacts with the wall of the slot 39 adjacent thereto.

arm 21 pawl 38 permits the rotation of rod 3% and wheel 35 by the pawl 36. Thus it will be noted that the blower head has been rocked with the nozzle without relative movement therebetween, the nozzle 31 directing its jet of steam forthe vertical height of the tube sheet.

When the rock arm 21'is operated to rotate the gear 24 in the opposite direction or clockwise as shown in Figure 4 said operation rotates blower head 30, shaft 3 1, segment 37 and wheel 35 all together until further rotation of the segment is prevented by reason of the set screw 40 contacting with the wall of the slot 39 adjacent thereto. For the remaining movement of the rock arm 21 the pawl 38 prevents further rotation of the wheel 35 and shaft '34 and the gear 24 ro-- tates the rod 29. During this remaining move-- ment, therefore, the rod 29 will be rotated with respect to the rod 34 to act through the bevel gears 32, 33 to change the direction of the nozzle 31. By locating the set screws40, 40' in the various openings 41 the increment of advance of the nozzle may be varied. The parts are then in position for the next cycle which will include first tracing a vertical path by the blower jet on the tube sheet substantially parallelwith the preceding andspaced therefrom a distance determined by the relative movement between the gears 32, 33.

As the steam jets of the pair of blowers con- 39 formed in blower body 89 to which body is fixed the support 90. A prime mover'such as the steam turbine 91 is supplied with steam by a pipe 92 communicating with supply'pipe 17. The tur bine is provided with suitable reduction gearing (not shown) and operates the "bevel pinion .93 by a shaft 94 journaled at 95 in the support 90. Pinion 93 'meshes with bevel gear 96 which is provided with a portion 9'7 carrying clutch elements 98. A disc 99 is fixed to a shaft 100 rotatably mounted with respect to the shaft 101. An arm 102 is connected to shaft 101 by pin 103 and has an end bearing against projection 104 extending from the rear of the bearing support 90.

The disc 99 carries clutch elements 98 adapted to engage clutch elements 98 carried bythe gear 96 when the blower is extended forwardly in the position shown in Figure 6. Springs 105 normally urge the disc 99, shafts 100 and 101 rearwardly.

A sleeve 106 fixed within support 90 and at the rear end is provided with arace 107 for the In this type of blower the steamsupply pipe 1? communicates with the chamber anti-friction balls 108 held in place by race 1G9. She balls 10S take the thrust of the blower at the end of the forward stroke through the clutch and the gear 96.

Within the waterleg i l is a. sleeve lldhouslug-the sleevei 12 and separated therefromto permit circulation of air entering ports 111' in the blower body 89 for cooling the blower. Sleeve ;-.1- i;2 is provided with ports 113 and 114 com- Throughout the remaining stroke of the rock municatng with the steam supply 17.

Theblower cylinder 115 is connected to rotate with the shaft 100 by bolts 116 extending through ribs 111- :Suitable packing rings 118 are provided on the cylinder 115. At the rear of the blower cylinder. aiace 1.19 surrounds the sleeve 10C and is acted upon steam from the port to project th'cblower forwardly. Cylinder 15 is' also provide with an elongated port 1%) as shown-.in Figure 8.

The forward end of shaft l l carries the bevel pinion T l-meshing with the bevel gear 122 carried by the blower cylinder. The bevel 122 is provided with a nozzle 123.

The sleeve 106 is provided with passages 106 which communicate by ports loll lvith passages 101 formed in shaft 100. Passages 106 also coinznunicate through port 103 with passage 99 formed in support 90. The passages and ports permit the escape of anycondens'ate or steam that escapes past the moving parts.

"A petcock 39 may be provided for chamber 39 by means of which condensate may be drained blower. the blower nozzle 115, shafts 100, 1-31 carrying the disc 99 and arm 102 respectively are i'oi'ced rcarwardly by the springs 105 so that the 4 forward end oi the blower cylinder will be housed within the sleeve 110. When is adniittc to the blower through the supply pipe 1? it will enter the port il i and act upon. th face 119 of the blower cylinder to carry the parts for' \vardly as shown in Figure 6 compressing the springs 1G5 and clutching the elements 98, '98 so that the turbine 91 will rotate the blower cylinder through the shaft and bevel gears 95, 93. At the same time nozzle 123 will be carriedforwardly into position to act upon the tube sheet. Port 1 39 of cylinder will also now register with port 113 for a period of the rotation of the blower cylinder- The: plane of rotation. of the nozzle body 122 is preferably set at. ap-

proximately 29 with the axis or" the cylinder 13.5 and-the nozzleslilli is also preferably set at ap proximately 20 inclination to the axis of rotation oithe nozzle body so that in the position fixed by reason of the arm 102 and projection. 104, the nozzle body 122 will have rotated plus or minus one or more teeth depending on the increment of advancement desiredl 'As the blower cylinder rotates the'port will register with port.113, admit steam to the nozzle 123, during the time that the nozzle is directed toward the tube sheet. The blower thus-trace curvilinear paths of steam projected on the tube sheet and by reason of the bevel gears'121 and 121 the nozzle 123 will be successively directed in different positions to trace paths'of successively varying curvature on the tube sheet until the entire area of the tube sheet has been covered. After'the blowers have covered the width of the tube sheet the steam supply is cut oil and the spring 105 acts to automatically restore the parts to their original position. v I

For the sake of convenience, the invention has been described as being embodied in a device for cleaning boilers. It will be apparent, however, that the invention may beembodied in devices for cleaning apparatuses similar to boilers, and it is to be therefore understood that the term boiler wherever used in the specification or claims is to be construed as meaning a heat transfer apparatus' or fluid heater of any character, while the term boiler cleaner is to be construed as meaning a cleaner for any such apparatus.

While it is preferred to use steam as the cleaning medium, other fluids such as air etc., could be used.

What we claim as our invention is:--

1. In combination a boiler cleaner having a blower head, a housing adjacent the fire box or the boiler and normally receiving the head of the boiler cleaner, means for projecting the head outside the housing and within the fire box and means formed of heat resisting material for protectingthe end of the head.

2. A boiler cleaner having a blower head, and a cap formed of heat resisting material secured to the blower head,

3. In a boiler cleaner having a blower head, a cap formed of heat resisting material removably secured to the blower head.

4. In combination, a boiler having a water leg, a boiler cleaner having a blower head, a housing within the water leg normally receiving the blower head, a cap formed of heat resisting material secured to the end. of the blower head and normally substantially closing the housing. adjacent the fire box, and means for reciprocating the blower head in said housing.

5. In a boiler cleaner, the combination with a source of cleaning fluid and a discharge nozzle therefor, of a rotatable blower cylinder carrying said nozzle, a motor adapted to rotate said blower cylinder, means for introducing cleaning fluid to said nozzle during a portion of the rotation oi. said cylinder, cleaning fluid operated means for projecting said blower cylinder and nozzle, and means for retracting said cylinder and nozzle when'the cleaning fluid supply is shut off.

6. In a locomotive boiler having a water leg and sleeved opening therethrough, a boiler cleaner having a blower cylinder rotatably and reciprocally mounted in said opening, a source of cleaning fluid, a discharge nozzle mounted in said blower cylinder, means for directing said nozzle to trace successive spaced paths with the cleaning fluid on the tube sheet of the boiler, cleaning fluid operated means for projecting said blower cylinder in the direction of the boiler fire box, means for retracting the cylinder when the cleaning fluid i J cut off, a motor adapted to rotate the cylinder and means for clutching the cylinder and motor together when the cylinder is projected.

'7. In combination, a blower element having a discharge nozzle and an inlet port, a sleeve form-- ing a bearing in which said blower element is longitudinally movable, said sleeve having a port in communication with a sourceof cleaning fluid, means for moving said blower element longitudinally of said sleeve to align'the port in the blower element with the port in the said sleeve, and means for rotating said blower element to periodically registerthe port in the blower element with the port in the said sleeve whereby cleaning fluid is supplied to said blower element during a porthan only of its rotation.

8. In a device of the character described, the combination with a movable blower element. means for supplying cleaning fluid to said blower element, and a power mechanism for moving said blower element, of means for establishing a driving connection between said power mechanism and said blower element when cleaning fluid is being supplied to said blower element.

9. In a device of the character described, the combination with a movable blower element, means for supplying cleaning fluid to said blower element, and means including a train of gears for moving said blower element, of a clutch adapted to form a driving connection between said train of gears and said blower element, and means for controlling the operation of said clutc in dependence upon the supply of cleaning fluid to said blower element.

10. In a soot blower, the combination with a casing, of a pipe rotatable and reciprocative in the casing, a nozzle on an end of the pipe projecting beyond the casing, means operable upon movement of the pipe to control the supply of pressure fluid to the pipe to be ejected fromthe nozzle, means including a turbine and reducing gearing actuated thereby for rotating the pipe continuouslyv in one direction, a power driven motor for reciprocating the pipe in the casing to vary the projection oi the nozzle with relation to the casing and to control the supply of pressure fluid to the nozzle, and a common control for the turbine and motor..

11. In a soot blower, the combination with a casing having a bearing and a passage intersecting the bearing, means for supplying pressure fluid to the passage, a pipe reciprocative and rotatable in the bearing and having a port to register with the passage, a nozzle on an end of the pipe projecting beyond the casing, means including a prime moverand transmitting mechanisms for rotating the pipe, a power driven motor forreciprocating the pipe to vary the projection of the nozzle with relation to the casing and also to move the port into and out or" register with the passage, and a common control for the prime mover and the motor.

12. In a soot blower, the combination with a casing, of a pipe reciprocative and rotative'in the casing, a nozzle on an end of the pipe projecting beyond the casing, means for supplying pressure fluid to the pipe to be ejected by the nozzle, a power driven motor for reciprocating the pipe to project the nozzle from a stored to a blowing position, mechanism for rotating the pipe to sweep the jet emitted from the nozzle, a second power driven motor for actuating the mechanismior rotating the pipe said motor being operatively coupled to said mechanism only when the pipe is in said blowing position, and means common to both motors for controlling the action ofthe same. o

13. In a soot blower, the combination with a casing, of a pipe reciprocatlve and rotative in the.

casing, a nozzle on an end of the pipe projecting beyond the casing, means for supplying pressure fluid to the pipe to be ejected by the nozzle, a pressure fluid motor for reciprocating the pipe to project the nozzlefrom a stored to a blowing position, mechanism for rotating the pipe to sweep the jet emitted from the nozzle, a second pressure fluid motor for actuating the mechanism for rotating the pipe said motor being operatively coupled to said mechanism only when the pipe is in said blowing position, pressure fluid supply pipes communicating withboth motors, and a common control valve for the supply pipes of both motors.

14. In a device of the character described, a movable blower element, means for supplying cleaning fluid to the blower element, power driven means for moving said blower element, a clutch for establishing a driving connection between said power driven means and said blower element only when cleaning fluid is being supplied to the blowereleznent, and a common means for controlling the supply of cleaning fluid to the blower element and the supply of power to the power driven means.

15. In a fluid heater cleaner, a movable blower element, power driven means for moving said blower element means for supplying cleaning fluid to the blower element, means for. operatively clutching said power driven means to said blower element only when cleaning fluid being supplied to the blower element whereby the blower element is moved by said power driven means only when cleaning fluid is being supplied to the blower element, means controlling the supplyof power to. said power drivenmeans, and means so interconnecting the operation of said last mentioned means and the operation of said clutching means that upon the actuation of the power control means the clutching means is autolongitudinally, means for rotating the blower element, and/means controlling the flow of cleaning,

fluid to he blower element in dependence upon the lon tudinal and rotative movements thereof and operating to supply cleaning fluid to said blower element during a portion only of its rotative movement.

17. In combination, a projectible and rotataable blower element, means for projecting said blower element, means for rotating the blower element, and means for limiting the supply of cleaning fluid to the blower element to periods when the blower element is projected and for controlling the flow of cleaning fluid to the blower element in' timed relation to the rotation thereof and during a portion only of its rotative movement.

18. In a fluid heater cleaner, a projectible and rotatable blower element, means for rotating the blower element, fluid pressure actuated means for projecting the blower element, and'ineans controlling the admission of cleaning fluid to the blower element in timed relation to the projection and rotation thereof said means operating to supply cleaning fluid to said blower element during a portion only of its rotative movement.

19. In a boiler cleaner'unit, the combination with a movable blower element and a power mechanism for moving said blower element including a member fixed to said element and a cleaning fluid actuated motor, of means for es tablishing a driving connection between said member and said motor when cleaning fluid is supplied to said unit.

NORMAN L. SNOW.

' FRANK EOWERS.

CURTIS L. HOWSE.

its 

